Endless flexible slide holder and method of making same

ABSTRACT

A slide holder comprising a fabric belt with parallel bias-cut end edges fitted together to shape the belt into annular form, and a series of spring clips arranged around the belt and adhesively secured thereto with several of the clips straddling the bias-cut end edges to hold the belt in annular form. Also, the method of making the slide holder by bias-cutting a strip of fabric pre-coated with thermo-setting adhesive, shaping the strip to annular form, arranging the clips around it, and thermally curing the adhesive.

[22] Filed:

United States Patent 1191 Frey [ ENDLESS FLEXIBLE SLIDE HOLDER ANDMETHOD OF MAKING SAME [76] Inventor: Gerald J. Frey, 1486 CanteraAvenue, Santa Barbara, Calif. 931 10 Dec. 10, 1971 211 App]. No.1206,761

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No.865,613, Oct. 13,

1969, Pat. No. 3,632,200.

[52] US. Cl. 353/109 [51] Int. Cl. G03b 23/12 [58] Field of Search353/109, 125 C;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1950 Davis 353/109 Frey353/106 Nov. 13, 1973 335,187 2/1886 Gingras 24/38 2,733,181 1/1956Riedesel... 24/38 2,441,460 5/1948 Walters 24/38 Primary Examiner-LouisR. Prince Assistant ExaminerA. J. Mirabito Att0rney-Thomas M. Small etal.

[57] ABSTRACT A slide holder comprising a fabric belt with parallelbias-cut end edges fitted together to shape the 'belt into annular form,and a series of spring Clips arranged around the belt and adhesivelysecured thereto with several of the clips straddling the bias-cut endedges to hold the belt in annular form. Also, the method of making theslide holder by bias-cutting a strip of fabric pre-coated withthermo-setting adhesive, shaping the strip to annular form, arrangingthe clips around it, and thermally curing the adhesive.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ENDLESS FLEXIBLE SLIDE HOLDER AND METHOD OFMAKING SAME CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to means for holding framedphotographic transparencies, hereinafter called slides, in slideprojectors, and relates more particulary to a flexible slide holder ofthe type having a large number of slide-holding clips arranged in anendless series and flexibly joined together.

One such slide holder is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,170,369, in which theclips are supported on an endless flexible belt which is housed in anopen-ended, removable magazine having two shafts about which the holdermay be advanced step by step by turning one of the shafts throughselected angular increments. A more recently developed projector uses anunsupported slide holder similar to the one in the aforesaid patent,without need for the bulky and relatively expensive magazine.

In each case, the clips are small spring metal parts of about the samelength as the slides to be held, and only of sufficient depth to providea firm grip on the frames of the slides. Various connecting means-forsuch clips have been proposed, including interlocking fasteners andbelts, but none of these have proved to be comple'tely satisfactory,particularly from the standpoint of economical mass-production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention resides in a slide holderof the foregoing general character in which the connecting means is aflexible belt formed by an elongated strip of material having bias-cut,parallel end edges that are fitted together to shape the strip intoannular form, and in which the clips are secured to the outer side ofthe belt, for example, by an adhesive, with several of the clipsextending across, or straddling, the bias-cut end edges and secured tothe strip on opposite sides thereof to hold the belt in the annularform.

Other objects and aspects'of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS lustrating the shaping of the beltfrom a flat strip to the annular form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in the drawings for purposes ofillustration, the invention is embodied in a device 10 for holding aseries of framed slides 11 (FIG. 2) while the slides are in a slideprojector (not shown), and for advancing the slides one by oneinto aviewing position in the film gate of the projector as the slide holderis advanced step by step therein, typically by two spaced shafts aboutwhich the slide holder is supported. In general, the slide holdercomprises a series of spring clips 12 arranged around a flexible belt 13in an endless annular series, and secured to the belt to traveltherewith as the belt is advanced in the projector.

Each. illustrative clip 12 herein is a single piece ofspring metal, andis shaped to form a flat base 14 (FIG. 2) for lying against theouter'side of the'belt 1'3, and two spring fingers which extend awayfrom the base to grip a slide between them. Each such finger extendsfirst outwardly at 15 away from the belt, substantially perpendicular tothe base 14, then bends inwardly and back at 17 to form a stop rib inthe clip forabutting against the edge of a slide, and then is inclinedoutwardly and toward the other finger at 18, to form the grippingportion of the finger.

The fingers preferably are pressed together at 19, when free, and mayhave diverging tips 20 for facilitating insertion of the slides betweenthe fingers. A notch or other cut-away recess (not shown) may be formedin one finger of each clip, in place of or in addition to the divergingtips 20, to assist such insertion.

In accordance with the present invention, the belt 13 is an elongatedstrip (see FIG. 3) of fabric or the like having parallel bias-cut endedges 21 intersecting the side edges 22 of the strip at angles otherthan ninety degrees, and is shaped into annular form by fitting the endedges together in edge-to-edge relation in a loose joint indicatedgenerally at 23 in FIGS. 1 and 3. Then the clips 12 are arranged aroundthe belt with their bases 14 extending transversely across the strip,preferably perpendicular thereto, and with several clips straddling theloose joint 23, and are secured to the outer side of the belt by anadhesive, indicated at 24 in FIG. 2.

In this manner, the clips 12 are securely mounted on the belt 13 and, atthe same time, join the bias-cut ends 21 securely together in theannular form. This makes it possible to mass-produce such slide holdersin a relatively simple andinexpensive operation.

A preferred material for the belt 13 is a glass cloth or fabric that hasbeen sold by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co., St. Paul,Minnesota, as Scotch Brand tape No. Y-9087. This material is pre-coatedon one side with a thermo-setting adhesive, permitting the clips 12 tobe arranged around a belt in a suitable fixture (not shown) and to besecured to the belt by simply thermally curing the adhesive. The endedges 21 preferable are cut at angles on the order of forty-five degreeswith the side edges 22.

The clips 12 should be of about the same length as the slides 11 to beheld. The belt 13, in turn, should be of substantially the same width asthe length of the clips, although the ,width .may be varied, if desired.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present inventionprovides an extremely simple, but highly effective, approach to thefabrication and assembly of endless flexible slide holders, and has theadvantage of using the'clips themselves to join the two end edges of thebelt strip securely and permanently together. It also will be evidentthat, while a preferred embodiment has been illustrated and described,modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

I claim:

1. ln a holder for slides, the combination of:

a flexible belt comprising a strip of flexible material having parallelbias-cut en'd edges and parallel side edges, said end edges intersectingsaid side edges at angles other than ninety degrees, and being fittedtogether to shape the strip into annular form;

and a series of slide-holding clips arranged around said belt in closelyspaced side-by-side relation to extend transversely of said belt, with aplurality of said clips straddling said end edges, said clips havingsubstantially flat bases abutting against the outer side of said belt,and spring fingers projecting outwardly from said bases to receive andhold slides;

and means securing said bases to said belt, whereby said clips areflexibly joined together and supported bysaid belt in an endless series,and said plurality of clips hold said end edges together to maintainsaid strip in annular form.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, in which said end edges intersectsaid side edges at an angle on the order of 45.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said belt is a fabrichaving a pre-coat of thermo-setting adhesive on said outer sideconstituting said securing means. I

4. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said clips areperpendicular to said side edges, and said angles are on the order of45.

5. The combination defined in claim 1 in which each of said clips is aone-piece spring metal part.

6. The method of forming an endless slide holder having a series ofelongated spring clips flexibly joined together, said method comprisingthe steps of:

cutting a strip of fabric to a preselected length and with the end edgesof the strip parallel and disposed at angles of other than ninetydegrees with the side edges of the strip;

shaping the strip into annular form and fitting the end edges togetherin edge-to-edge relation;

arranging the clipsin transverse relation around the outer side of thestrip with a plurality of the clips straddling said end edges andabutting against said outer side on both sides of said end edges;

and securing said clips to said strip.

7. The method of claim 6 in which said securing step is accomplished byprecoating said outer side with thermo-setting adhesive, and thenthermally curing said adhesive with said clips in place.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, in which said end edges intersectsaid side edges at an angle on the order of 45* .
 3. The combinationdefined in claim 1 in which said belt is a fabric having a pre-coat ofthermo-setting adhesive on said outer side constituting said securingmeans.
 4. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said clips areperpendicular to said side edges, and said angles are on the order of45*.
 5. The combination defined in claim 1 in which each of said clipsis a one-piece spring metal part.
 6. The method of forming an endlessslide holder having a series of elongated spring clips flexibly joinedtogether, said method comprising the steps of: cutting a strip of fabricto a preselected length and with the end edges of the strip parallel anddisposed at angles of other than ninety degrees with the side edges ofthe strip; shaping the strip into annular form and fitting the end edgestogether in edge-to-edge relation; arranging the clips in transverserelation around the outer side of the strip with a plurality of theclips straddling said end edges and abutting against said outer side onboth sides of said end edges; and securing said clips to said strip. 7.The method of claim 6 in which said securing step is accomplished byprecoating said outer side with thermo-setting adhesive, and thenthermally curing said adhesive with said clips in place.